Heavens Feel
by DeathRaptor
Summary: “If you choose to live, any place can be Heaven.” Those were the words his master engraved in his mind. Struggling to keep his sanity, he leaves on a journey trying to find if those words are true. [Naru?] [AU after manga 306] [Epic]


**

* * *

**

**Disclaimer: Naruto and everything related to it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This is a non profit fan fiction. Everything else belongs to their corresponding owners.**

**

* * *

**

**Heavens Feel **

**Chapter 01 - Reflections**

**

* * *

**

The starry night welcomed both, master and apprentice while they keep on looking at the endless ocean. The sound of the calm waves washing over and over again the white sand, almost in perfect synchronization, the night breeze. Beautiful scenery filled their senses with its hypnotic calmness.

Jiraiya took a sip of sake straight from a bottle he was carrying. No matter how he never was able to overcome his alcohol addiction. Not that it mattered though. His philosophy was "Enjoy your life because you only have one." Of course that gave him a few troubles since "enjoying life" for him, meant peeping, write dirty novels and drink as if there was no tomorrow. But it was the way he liked it and if someone else had anything to say about it, he'd have to deal with him. As long as it wasn't Tsunade that's it.

The man Naruto always saw as someone funny to hang with, a friend, almost a father, had a serious expression on his face now. For a moment he looked almost like the teacher he was supposed to be. "So you're leaving..." he said.

"Yeah" Naruto answered without looking at him.

The tall old man took another sip of the sake and chuckled softly after. "The boy takes the path to become a man. You have gone a long way Naruto"

"It's not as if I like it, ero-sennin… I wish things were… different, ya know?"

"I know" he answered wisely. No one should carry the burden you have. "I won't stop you... I know that no one can show you the path you are taking, but remember something"

The blonde turned to the side where his master was; with a curious expression on his face.

"Power, is just power, it's foolish to desire too much of it." The old man said, with a strange tone. It was… paternal in some way.

The blonde just stared at the old man. He wasn't expecting any words of wisdom and much less words like the ones he was hearing.

"It can grant you everything, but it can take it away at any moment. It can save people lives, but destroys other ones at the same time. And at the end, it'll consume its bearer alive in his own ambitions leaving nothing behind"

The silence between the two, despite the seriousness of the talk was inviting and peaceful.

He sighed, and with a final sip, finished what he wanted to say with a simple sentence. "Remember that Naruto. Don't let it consume you"

Naruto smiled, in his usual cheerful way. "I'll show you ero-sennin"

The old man smiled and took another sip, this time a large one. The boy never changed despite everything.

"Hey, Ero-sennin"

"What is it?"

"Take care of yourself will ya?"

Jiraiya, the toad sannin laughed long and hard. After that and with a happy face put his large hand over the youth head. "You don't have to worry about it, just stay alive so we can meet someday again."

The old man turned serious again. "Brat, I was meaning to tell you something."

Naruto turned around to look at his mentor again. He was very talkative today... It was unusual, mostly because when Jiraiya talked a lot was about his porn novels, the great "research" he did (according to him anyway) or to describe how great he was. Ironically, at least as a ninja he was as good as he boasted. "Remember it Naruto." The old man continued. You were chosen for a reason. No human being should be able to control that kind of power, yet you are able to do it. The Kyuubi chakra is a poison that corrupts and destroys everything in its path. I still don't understand why you can even move when you are using it, and I doubt someone else does."

The boy nodded.

However… that guy... Yamato… Perhaps he was right when he said that what let you control the Kyuubi chakra is your own strength. You have to find the answer not only to the Kyuubi power but to your own. You are the one who controls it not the other way around."

Despite the seriousness of the talk and the sick feeling he had at the bottom of the stomach, Naruto smiled again.

Jiraiya looked at his apprentice with an almost paternal expression. In his mind he thought: _"Yondaime… I don't know why you chose him of all people to carry this burden. I wonder… if you already knew about all this." And if you did I hope that you know what you are doing. _

They stared in silence the ocean again, listening to the sound of the waves crashing with the soft white sand.

Jiraiya took another sip of sake. And without prior announcement he spoke…

"Cherry blossoms in the spring, the starry nights on summer, autumn with the colored leaves and winter brings the snow…"

Naruto looked at his sensei as if he had grown a second head. Why was he saying such things?

"…The flowers that smiles at us every day, the green of fields, the ocean and its deep calmness, the sun rising to shine, and the moon to smile upon us at night."

He chuckled and continued… "People forget the gifts life gives us. Learn to appreciate what life has given to you. Even the smallest of details can make a world of difference…"

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Feel everything, learn from everything, hear everything, smell everything, understand everything… As you walk in the path of your life, a lot of times you'll be able to choose if you want to stop or keep going… Naruto… I know you know, but I feel it's appropriate to tell you. When the time comes, never choose death. Always stay alive, walk forwards and search for your happiness, big or small."

The almost man, but still a boy nodded.

Jiraiya turned to give his student one final look and said with his cheerful smile, "Always remember it Naruto… If you choose to live, any place can be heaven"

Naruto looked with awe at his teacher. Finally after three years he understood why he was a sannin and why he was the one who trained the greatest ninja the world had ever seen. Everything the old man said in this strange moment of wisdom got engraved with fire in his mind, and he doubted that he'll forget it any time soon.

_"…Any place can be heaven" _

"Walk forward, never look back, and someday when your ready come back to us. So next time we met, we can get a drink together" finished the old man with a silly smile.

Naruto smiled again. This time was a true smile. "Yeah!" he said enthusiastically.

It was the last time they saw each other again.

* * *

That was a few months ago…

Large forests surrounded by snow covered mountains as far as the eye could see. .Dark skies covered the endless winter while small snowflakes fell over the landscape, as if they were minuscule crystals dancing in the chill air. The snowflakes covered the now withered trees, as if they were made of crystal, creating a very pretty view for the casual observer. In the distance the howl of a wolf could be heard, accompanying the full moon night. Surprisingly there was almost no wind and the skies were half clear. The snow fell slowly and easily not finding any resistance, in its enchanting, almost mystical dance… however…

For a lone figure who walked slowly and with a lot of effort in the middle of the forest covered from his shoulders by only a dark brown cape, it was everything but beautiful. To him it was the contrary. Cold, lonely, there was no food, or place to rest and to make things worse, he was freezing his ass off, and on top of it, he didn't know where the hell he was. He knew he could cope if there was at least an abandoned hut, a cave, _anything…_ at time like this the only though his mind has was why in the nine hells, kami-sama decided that there must be winter, even in places covered by snow the whole goddamn year.

He stopped, and sighed. Naruto was an optimistic by nature, but now it was so damn hard to be his usual cheerful and loud self.

His head full of bright blonde hair and eyes deep and blue as the sea adorned him while glowing in the darkness as twin sparkles. Always fill of pride and defiance, no matter the circumstances. He knew… at that moment he knew, that, no matter how pretty the scenery was, no matter how tired he was, no matter how his stomach growled (curse his luck for eating his last cup of ramen a few days ago) if he wanted to stay alive he couldn't stop. Not only that but the fact that he couldn't feel anything in his body or his body itself, made it urgent for him to continue. There was nowhere to stop anyway, and if he doesn't keep on walking not even his healing factor would be able to help. Shivering he turns his attention to his feet. Noticing his fingers were blue already he cursed all his luck for his stupidity. Why in the world was he using ninja sandals when he was freezing his ass off? Better yet, why in the world, he didn't though about packing better clothes instead of his normal all day clothes that were now almost shreds, and had nothing more to cover himself besides a thin brown cape that barely helped? Sighing again he resumes his walking.

His mind wandered so he wouldn't pay too much mind to the coldness. How long has it been already? He didn't bother to keep track of the time anymore; after all he stopped counting after 2 months of leaving or so. He was still short (much to his dismay), had no beard, and even though he hadn't cut his hair since he left it wasn't that long yet, so he doubted it would be too long, 6 or 7, perhaps 8, maybe 9… or 10 months? He chuckles. That sounds stupid even to his ears. But then again he wasn't exactly the smartest person in the world. And after all that happened he really wanted to be smarter even if it was a little bit.

The things he had to do, to learn to harness that cursed power. Why him? He wondered more than one time in his life. His first 12 years, hated for something he had no knowledge about it, and after that, hated because he had no control over it. Sure he made friends, but at the end he was completely alone, especially after _that _and since no one could teach him how to control the blasted demon, he had to leave again.

Sometimes he wished for the man who sealed that… thing in his stomach to be alive… for two simple reasons, one, to congratulate him for his greatness, and two, to kick the crap out of him for cursing him for life. Admiration was something he always associated with the Yondaime Hokage, but now there was another feeling… resentment. He admired and hated that man at the same time. Sure the Fourth Hokage was a hero but there were no rules that say that heroes were always smart. There were plenty of examples for it. The Sandaime, who left his pupil, Orochimaru alive, paid his stupidity with his life. The Uchiha clan was another good example. They couldn't see the danger in their own noses, and paid the same price, but in a more humiliating way. He, himself was another example, even though he didn't considered himself a hero. Why him? That was the question, and even if it killed him, he'll get an answer. No one could help him now, not any stupid jounin with a fetish for porn or any stupid sannin with a fetish for writing that porn, nor anyone else. He messed up badly last time. Now he really understood why people called him dead last, because that's what he was. All power, potential, balls, dreams, and not enough brains to make them come true.

He didn't want to leave. Not again. Konoha was his home, the only place he could think of coming back, even if he didn't felt welcome on it. At the end he got used to it but it would be nice if there was at least one day where no one saw him bad. Sometimes he wondered if it was all worthy, if his efforts weren't in vain. But he was stubborn by nature, so he kept repeating himself as some kind of mantra that the only reason he was doing this for his and everyone safety. That's what he always said. But at the same time he wondered if it wasn't because he was scared of his own self and what he had become that time… But now, _it_ was under control. For now that's it. At least that's what he wanted to believe. Sometimes he felt like a useless puppet with its strings attached to the cursed destiny he never wanted to believe in. But was he to blame? The darkness was too strong. That maniacal and amused laugh when the surge of power came to his body and the power… oh the power. The power to rip anything apart, to destroy every fool who get in his path, to control…

He had to admit it, he likes it.

Before the incident, he wanted to think that it was because he had something to protect, promises to keep, and all that crappy bullshit. He felt that he needed to use it, but at the end everything was a lie and now he knows it. No one can protect anything like that. No one can save anything like that. The hellfire destroys his mind, body and soul; however it's the most luxurious thing, begging to be taken, to be embraced. And he like any other being, embraced, it and enjoyed the power it gave him. Did that made him a bad person? Wasn't natural for a human being the desire to be stronger, faster, better, not caring about the consequences as long as they don't harm anyone but himself?

That last part was the problem. In that shape he has done more… far more than harming himself. It was disgusting. _H__e_was disgusting. What was so great about the greatest power in the world, if the price was his humanity? How was that saying? "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the world and loses his own soul?" He recalled those words said to him by a nice old man in one of the many towns he visited.

"Do I have a soul in the first place?" He wondered more than once. "And what is the soul? What is the reason I came to this world? To suffer? To inflict pain? Or to receive pain? To be happy? to be sad? What is the true meaning of being alive? Was it the challenge of it? Was he ready for the challenge? Did he really think he could control that power and not lose his life? Did he really believed that he, a stupid, loud, short-tempered dead last could control a power that no one else, alive or death has been able to control? Coming with nothing but a small headache he sighs. It wasn't a matter of believing it or not, he had to. Or die trying, for his and everyone sake. And that lead to another question… Since when did he thought like that? He was never a smart person. Each and every time his idea of life was: ramen, get stronger, save everyone, become Hokage, and live happily ever after. Now he didn't know anything. His all happy smile was so… boring now. It was boring to act as if nothing ever bothered him, as if he feared nothing, as if he could overcome everything.

He stops his walking, sighs, and his breath was shown due to the coldness. Now it would be a good time to find a place to rest. Or die, or die resting, that would be good. If only he could leave his cargo behind he might be able to walk a little faster and get the hell out of this cursed place, but that wouldn't do. Oba-Chan entrusted him the scroll. If someone ever found the one that was left behind was a fake it would be hell for her, and for everyone else who helped. Not to mention for him. After all the darned over sized scroll, that damn thing he would gladly use as a cover, or even better a toilet paper was his only clue now. If he learns its secrets he will learn about his seal and perhaps, just perhaps a way to control it completely.

His vision began to blur. He was tired, very tired. A small town or even a hut would be nice. The problem was that he was in a foreign land, in a foreign continent, in the middle of nowhere searching for a place that wasn't suppose to exist, and he didn't exactly had all the time of the world. Why worry about the time anyway? He wondered. He couldn't even know if it was day or night or even if he still had his legs or not. With a grunt, he kept on walking until he reached the side of a cliff at the end of the forest. Upon his arrival, he saw his salvation, almost with tears on his eyes… "A cave!" he thought happily. Finally he could rest a little... Make that a lot. Walking faster he entered the dark cave, without thinking of any consequences. After all, it didn't look like it had anything inside it, right? Walking slowly, he reached the far end of it, in a place where no light entered any more and slipped

He fell flat in his face over the frozen soil.

Wait… since when a frozen soil was so soft, so stinky and so full of hair?

_"Oh crap"_, he said while cursing his stupidity once again.

A movement came from the soil, and later a roar of a wild beast. Naruto sighed again. "Why have the gods turned against him all of a sudden? Was a place to rest, eat and regain his energy too much to ask?" He asked himself. A hit to his side by a large paw sent him flying to the nearest rock and the roar of the now furious bear answered him.

Getting up slowly, with a kunai in hand he stared at the beast with an annoyed voice. "I'll take that as a yes." He mumbled miserably.

* * *

The stench of death and the scream of terror still echoed in her ears, the sound of tearing flesh and dripping blood… The shame to feel useless, weak… Not being able to do anything. Not even after all that time and all that training, after so many effort and confidence, at the end she looked so… so lame and pathetic. Not been able to do anything. Not been able to save anything. Those words repeated in her conscience as if they were a curse.

Swirling red eyes with 3 tomoe marks looked at her from within the darkness. The confident voice she once loved so much saying without even blinking:_ "I'll kill you"_ Those words so full of power and so full of things she never wanted to feel still made her knees weak. Not because of her childish illusions as before but of fear. She said herself many times that she wasn't a girl anymore, that she was strong and that she could be trusted. Even then she still left her feelings, or childish illusions get the better of her, and at the end she has to trust everything again to her most trusted friend… She didn't know how in the world he did, it, he obtained complete victory, not only over the traitor, but over the evil… Or it should be called defeat? How can you call it a victory when the victor lost everything for their sake?

A black cape, and the power it's owner possessed. The way he mocked everyone and everything sent against him. His insane laugher that could make even the bravest warrior flinch in terror. And even with all that insane power at his disposal he didn't bother to kill anyone. She recalled that he said something about not being worth killing... that he would deal with them when he feels like it, since at that moment the strongest ninjas of Konoha were just an eyesore. He had more important business, and he would claim his prize, his prey…

Her friend.

After what she witnessed she came to a conclusion: Such strength and skill shouldn't even be allowed to exist, but it did, and in possession of such an evil man.

After those events, and only a few hours later the Hokage ordered a Rescue-operation even with Konoha in such a state. None dared to question it; after all it was because of him, that Konoha was still alive. If only he knew. She could bet that he would cry tears of happiness by just hearing the Godaime orders. Or he wouldn't? Now that she thought about it she never saw him cry. And that made her fell even worse than before. What kind of friend she was? Being with him all that time but never took a second to guess about how he was feeling, if he was happy or sad or if he felt lonely, or if he wanted a shoulder to lean on. Before _that_, he was the shoulder where she could cry, the back she could lean on, but she never thought of him. She didn't even know he liked to garden despite his hatred towards vegetables, until Kakashi-sensei told her. Even that silly smile of him, that warm smile that seemed to make the day 100 times brighter looks fake now that she knew where to see.

The operation carried out, kind of. His old friends, Neji, Shikamaru, Hinata, Chouji, TenTen, she, and the rest of the rookie 9 plus Lee and the newly reformed (and barely alive) Sai, and their jounin teachers were eager to help. They really wanted to help him, to bring him back. Ironic how the savior had to be saved now, but it was understandable. He went trough hell and survived it. Reaching the hideout, they fought their way trough the black cape wielder underlings, however, before they could do anything else, a huge explosion, and a wave of something… something ancient, evil, that reeked malice and bloodlust, sent all of them back a couple hundreds of meters. There was nothing they could do now. That sensation was even stronger than the one she felt before in Grass country. _"It can't be."_ She silently hoped while praying to Kami that it wasn't. She didn't want to see that again.

And then, it happened. They had a first line ticket to the most hideous scene she could ever remember. So hideous it haunted her _every_ night.

That thing again, the thing she never wanted to see again. The sickening sound of flesh being ripped apart as if it was tissue paper, again, so familiar and yet so different, so disgusting… She recalled Hinata fainting, and TenTen throwing her lunch up. It was as if they were looking at a horror movie, with the only difference that this was _real_

The underlings had no chance. And if that thing got close, they wouldn't had any either.

It stopped, leaving bloody trails, and turned to stare at them. Like a wild animal, it jumped to them stopping only millimeters away from them. What was happening? Did the thing recognize them? It hissed trough clenched teeth, and walked back taking it's head in it's hands, as if it was fighting an internal struggle. Moments later, like an animal it roared with the red moon on the back, sending a wave killing intent that terrorizing everyone close. This was it's time, its place and no one would be able to stop it now.

But something surprised her. Deep in her mind she could hear him. The darkness didn't pollute him completely. The roar that once sent shivers down her spine, could be heard different, and left her wondering if someone else understood.

…It sounded so lonely, so sad, and words carried by the wind came to her mind… _"Don't look at me like that! I am a human being! Can't you understand that! Please! Help! Help! H...e...l...p..."_ So many emotions, so much sadness, so much pain. And her heart for once understood.

It wasn't a roar meant to terrorize, it wasn't a roar of victory for a recently acquired prey, but a cry of a lone soul. She knew… however, like everyone else she was scared. Wait that wasn't it. She was petrified. Unable to move, unable to feel, unable to think... And when the roar died away… those eyes… so full of emotions, so sad and yet so terrifying at the same time. So penetrating, as if they could read trough everything, as if they could understand each and every emotions they showed now... Eyes even scarier than the slit like eyes of Orochimaru or the crimson red of the Sharingan. Those eyes looked at her, As if to saying "It's all because of you… are you happy now? You got what you wanted for a very small price…

_"My humanity..."_

Darkness fell again. She welcomed the darkness. Anything so she would never see those eyes again.

* * *

Green eyes opened lazily. She was in her room. Her sanctuary, were she could be isolated from the world and was happening outside of it. Everything was in complete order, with nothing out of place, in perfect harmony. Her stuffed animals, her bed, the small desk with her diary, her bookshelves, posters, portraits… a place where she could always feel welcome, with the single oddity that despite her fondling of everything remotely cute, surprisingly there was almost no pink. Truly the only place where she was safe, where she could be herself without anyone talking on her back. No one did anyway, but she was neurotic these days. After that last mission all she wanted was to drop dead and disappear forever. The shame, the guiltiness, everything was too much for her.

Most of all because now she understood _everything, _she saw many things about herself that made her sick to think she had them in the first place. For example, until now she never stopped to think about her actions and consequences. It didn't mattered what, but she had to get what she wanted because she would be happy that way. If she wanted Sasuke back it had to happen because that would make _her _happy, but what about Sasuke? Would he be happy? And Naruto? The blonde never asked anything back to her, never said a bad word about her, and always protected her no matter the circumstances and disregarding his own safety despite acting so mean towards him all the time. Heck, she even had the gall to ask him to return Sasuke to her just because of _it._

He accomplished his promise eventually, and it almost killed him _three_ times, and later as if it was nothing he shrugged it off with that silly smile of his as he always did. And now he was gone, without knowing if he could ever return. His last words to her, where still so vivid on her mind… _"You fear me…"_ …those words sent a chill down her spine but his next words made it even worse. At the same moment he set his "everything is ok face" to say_ "I'll make sure to change that… promise of a lifetime."_

She was scared to death of that promise. Knowing him he would nearly kill himself more than once for the sake of it. She was even more scared by the fact that no words came to her at that time. And she realized why. Naruto was right. She feared him with _every_ fiber of her being.

Naruto never made her cry. But at that moment she cried, not for him or because of him, but for her, because of her. She cried, because she felt dirty and disgusting.

And that was more than she could handle.

When Sasuke left again, at least she could say that she wouldn't try to stop him but still… it was unnerving. Both of her teammates took the same path for different goals. Leaving everything behind, going to places they didn't know if they existed or not, one to find how to control a curse that he'll have until the last of his days, so he could save his life and protect his loved ones and the other for the same selfish reasons he had before, with the difference that his desire wasn't to kill one but two men's. Revenge, revenge was everything in his mind. Revenge against the one who killed everything he loved. And revenge against the one whom according to him stood in the way of his goal, taking away something he'll never be able to get back, crippling him perhaps forever.

This wasn't the way they were supposed to be. For her normal teens should laugh, go on dates, experience and enjoy life. The problem was that she was the only "normal" one of her once again disbanded team. So, until both of them come back home she'll have to endure, no matter what and no matter how hard it is. Not to mention the fact that Tsunade would never forgive her if she abandons everything right now. Naruto wouldn't either, she was sure of that.

But even then… how was she supposed to feel? Sasuke only lasted less than a day in the village to leave at night in the very same way he did before. That made her wonder why the security around him was so weak.

Her questions were answered after his guards were dragged submerged into god knows what kind of Genjutsu. The Sharingan, the Uchiha bloodline limit was feared by everyone even now, except by the blonde idiot. After all what is the power of a strange eye against the power of the strongest demon the world had ever seen? If you see it that way, Sasuke was doomed to fail ever since the beginning. The borrowed strength of the cursed seal was no match for the demon container chakra, which keep the tailed beast sealed. And after that, she felt even more useless. She could have stopped him now that he was weaker. But in a way it didn't felt right. Was it her infatuation? Was it her desire to believe that he could be saved from darkness? What was it? Why did she allow him to leave now?

_The death penalty… _Oh that. She knew at the bottom of her heart that he deserved it, but she didn't have the heart to fight him again. Thank god her master forgave her and enclosed all information about it. She wouldn't be able to face anyone again if someone else knew.

What about her feelings towards the dark haired boy? They were so confusing now. It didn't felt like infatuation any more, but it didn't felt like love either. She was sure of that, because she knew that she didn't understand the meaning of love, after all she couldn't even understand what friendship is. Friendship is when two people share common interests, common beliefs and in a way connect with each other. Love is the same but in a much higher level, a feeling that told you that you and your lover were half and half of the same being. Anything besides that was just an illusion.

What common interest did she have with him? What beliefs? What was the connection between them, besides an infatuation that fell on deaf ears? So now she knew… She didn't understand what love was because she never felt it before. Or at least that's what the smart side of her, the brain told her. And that was the reason she was so confused. After all she wasn't Sasuke friend, she believed she was but after the last encounter it was obvious that it wasn't the case. To him they were nothing more than hindrances to his goal. And after what happened with Naruto she was ashamed to call herself his friend as well. He deserved anything, anyone, except her disgusting being.

_The shadow and his words… __ "It wasn't anyone's fault… but his promise to be strong that made him this way_" Simple but hurtful words that said everything she didn't wanted to know. Words that still haunted her; even though half a year passed already, words that no matter how were still so vivid in her mind and soul. It didn't matter that Konoha, her home, _their_ home was blooming again, stronger than ever. It didn't matter that there were sacrifices; it didn't matter that the young generation was alive and well.

Nothing mattered anymore.

But she had to endure. For the sake of the fallen, and for the sake of the tragic and lonely hero, who didn't received anything but hatred and fear in return. She realized that in her current state she wouldn't be able to help anyone… and it hurts to know it.

How can she help anyone after her what happened with her most loyal comrade? That hideous form that scared her to death, and made her feel sad all the same … That man had been right. People hate what they fear, and ironically she was like them. But as always, he was forgiving, and shrugged it as if it wasn't even there.

She turned around to stare at her window while the rain fell.

"How are they?" she wonders.

Sasuke was said to be seen in the Snow Country, however the leads were vague and scarce. Tsunade said that she wouldn't search for the dark haired now, that Konoha was the most important thing. And the pink haired knew that she was right. And Naruto… no one knows where he is or even if he was still alive. For all she knows he could be captured and killed already. Maybe starving to death, dying of coldness or heat, heck he could even be in a nice hot spring eating ramen with that silly (and fake) grin of his face. There was no way to know… he was outside the ninja world, completely alone.

The only thing that kept her hoping (same as everyone else) was that they knew Naruto nature… he would never die until his dream is accomplished or the world is destroyed, whatever comes first.

In the back of her mind, Sakura knew that even though Naruto didn't blame her, it was all her fault… it was her and her fault alone that he got himself into that big mess. If only he never promised anything to a childish girl who only though of herself at the time…

Her thoughts wandered to Sasuke again. He came back the way he did, with that gruesome mark that would be with him (or without him she still didn't know how to call it) to leave again. He didn't even last a day. Nothing would stop his purpose. Those two were very similar in that and it was the only thing in common they had. She never understood why people saw them so similar when they were so different. One was ready to give his everything, and the other to take it away.

A lone tear fell, and at the same moment she wished that wherever her friends where they were alive and well.

But her greatest wish was that she could forgive herself one day.

The nightmares might stop the day that happens.

* * *

Fire... giver of life, destroyer of it. Always dangerous and yet people surround it and even some worshipped it as if it was a god. But for a young man, it was the only thing that kept him alive. Inside the cave where a few moments ago lived a huge black bear only Naruto remained.

Killing the beast was one of the best ideas he ever had. The skin was soft and large enough to cover him and keep him warm. Besides he never knew that bear meat could taste so good especially after the stench that emanated from the animal when it's head blew all over the place thanks to an explosive tag prettied on his kunai.

God bless the damn things.

And oh boy, the beast was very angry. It was probably because it was sleeping for only god knows how much time, and the beauty sleep was interrupted in a very harsh way. No wonder, it was winter… he heard that the north side of the continent where he was, was always covered in snow, so why in the nine hells there was a black bear hibernating? Did this place have summer or something like that too? It was always cold to be called summer anyway.

He kept his gaze focused on the fire in front of him. One of the things Ero-sennin taught him were a few fire jutsus which served him well at the time. The shadows formed by the ethereal movement of the flames always gave him all kind of fantasies.

The only problem is that in the situation he was they weren't that much.

His mind was... blank at the moment. Perhaps because he was so tired and he had no idea where the hell he was. Never before in his life he could even think of being tired... much less to almost extenuation like he was now. Not even the oversized scroll he was carrying was in his mind at the moment.

He always thought about it, ever since he got a first glimpse of it when he was a child. Each and every one of the things written in it were dangerous, so dangerous that no human soul should lay his eyes on it.

But why so many high level ninjas knew a few of the jutsus written there? Kage-Bunshin for example… Supposedly it was a kinjutsu but he saw tons of people that could use it. Probably by investigating it more he could understand. From the words of Baa-Chan the first part of the scroll wasn't the problem, any high level chunnin or jounnin could learn them. The second part of it was the key.

It made him wonder why it was written in the first place.

But what he was searching was there. While not a smart person by nature, everything in his being screamed that the answer was there. It was the only way, or at least he hoped for a clue, for something, so he could find a way to control the blasted demon that was trapped in his stomach, by a now malfunctioning seal. Ever since that day he still could hear its laugher on the back of his mind. It was full of sarcasm and joy for the confusion, chaos, destruction, _madness_… and most of all, his weakness.

He couldn't bear that laugher anymore.

Before what happened he believed that by using its power he could save everyone that he could overcome his enemies that everything would be all right because _he_ was the one in control and not the other way around.

And because of that he almost paid the ultimate price..

He saved Sasuke in a way, and the bastard simply disappeared in thin air... At least Orochimaru would never be able to take his body and he doubted the snake freak would be interested in him after what happened. Not only that, but dead people can't use jutsus and the damn snake was dead right? He recalled that he never had the chance to see the body. Not that it mattered but still…

He was sure that Sasuke hated him, perhaps as much as he hated Itachi. After all he took something from him that he'll never be able to give back. And he was sure that if the idiotic Sharingan wielder couldn't accomplish his goal, he'll hate him even more for the rest of his life. He didn't like it, but at least he could deal with that… kind of.

He also protected Konoha, at the cost of almost his own life and the lives of those he holds dear… ironically, the only thing he received was not only hate, like before, but fear as well. It hurts even more because even his friends feared him now. In a sick way he felt satisfaction because he was tired of the disgusted eyes from before.

But now he was feeling lonelier than ever, and he couldn't blame anyone for that.

He believed that he was good enough; strong enough, smart enough, to do what no one else alive or death has ever been able to do. Now he'll have to carry the burden perhaps his entire life.

Now he understood the meaning of power. Too little can't save anyone. Enough might be or might not be enough. And too much of it was worse than having nothing.

That always let him confused. Why people wanted more and more? After the incident 6 months ago he would give anything to get rid of it. Only the knowledge that it would kill him stops him from packing it and give it with a pretty ribbon for free to the first idiot who asked for it.

"Power… pure raw power…." He chuckled. Since when did he begin to think so much about so many things? It was bothersome. His thoughts wandered to his old sensei again. _What is he doing now I wonder?_

He sighs again, knowing what he was doing. He was the Ero-Sennin after all…

* * *

Far away from there in a women bathhouse a sneeze could be heard by each and every one of the girls bathing at that precise moment. Jiraiya, the legendary pervert only recalled a few times he was busted. Now he'll recall another time. He knew, since women's in front of him looked everything but happy. Their eyes promised him a world of pain.

…At the moment he received a good kick on his groin he recalled that he never wrote about something like this… and grinning madly under the swarm of angry women, boobs, and… other nicer parts, he passed away.

Never in his whole life his research had been so rewarding.

* * *

Sometimes he missed the pervert old man. And when he wasn't missing him, he missed everyone else.

Their faces passed in fast succession, each one with a smile or a smirk on their faces. Neji, Lee, TenTen, Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Obaa-Chan, Sakura… everyone.

The memories of his friends, so valuable and so frail, the only thing that now kept him sane. He felt for not saying goodbye to everyone, but it was better this way. He knew that if he saw at least one of them it would be too hard to leave.

Especially after what happened… He didn't really want to know what they thought about him now.

That night, the cherry blossoms covered the trees. Soon they would fall to the ground as if they were pink snow. A pretty girl looked straight at him without saying a word. _"You fear me" _He said. The words cut him deep but he knew they were true.

_"I'll make sure to change that… promise of a lifetime"_ And then he left.

Now that he thought about it he heard a sound behind him when he was a bit far already. Was she crying?

His senses picked her crying far behind him. The sound of her tears and her sobs echoed in his mind now. However he swore that he'll always walk forwards and never turn back. And that's exactly what he did. Because if he turned back, then everything he believed would have been a lie.

No matter if it hurts like hell to know that he made her cry.

He couldn't fail. He couldn't _afford_ to fail.

He kept on staring at the fire with an almost insane fascination. It was nice to see it but it also brought unpleasant memories. What to think of those memories?

Was he a savior?

Was he a killer?

Or could he even call himself a human?

He kept on wondering and the answers escaped him like the shadows of the fire…

* * *

A flower shop is always a pleasant place. The flowers, each and every one of them had different meanings, for example Red roses who were given as a symbol of love, beauty, and passion, Poppies are a symbol of consolation in time of death, Daisies, symbol of innocence, and the list kept going on and on…

But at that particular moment, the atmosphere of the flower shop was anything but pleasant. A blonde girl leaned on the counter with a bored expression. Her friend, a pink haired girl was seated across from her, with her head resting on the very same counter with an expressionless face.

"You're still depressed?" Asked the blonde

"Kind of…" the pink haired answered.

"It's been 6 months already."

"I know" she answered in a flat tone.

Yamanaka Ino was getting bored. Ever since that mission Sakura didn't looked like the bright flower she seemed to be before. Hell even her big-forehead remarks weren't getting on her skin like before. And where did the Ino-pig go? Not that it bothered her but still…

"You want to talk about it?" she asked with a bit of pity.

"No." Sakura answered flatly.

Ino sighed again. This was getting annoying.

"Fine then" She answered. Without saying another word she turned around and left the pink haired girl at her own devices while she cleaned the shop. She always did that when Sakura got like that. Sure it was nice that they were best friends again but if there was something she could never stand about the pink haired girl was her lack of confidence, trust, self respect and most of all the annoying "I'm a victim" attitude.

In a way Sakura knew, and at that particular moment something possessed her, and said something none of them was used to. "I'm sorry Ino."

Ino didn't say anything and kept on arranging the flowers in a stand. After a few seconds she spoke. "Sorry for what? For not speaking about it with your best friend, or for been bitchy for quite a long time?

"Both I guess…" Sakura answered.

The blonde sighed again. This was getting ridiculous. She had to say something, anything, to make her friend feel better. But if she didn't knew what was bothering her she wouldn't be able to do so.

She had a good idea about what was it though.

"Sakura… You never wanted to tell me what is bothering you. However, if it's about those two, stop it"

"What?" She asked in surprise.

"Sakura… I tell you not to worry for 2 simple reasons. One, she held up a finger to emphasize her point; Sasuke is and always was a traitor. He got what he deserved, and I'm really surprised that you are willing to let that slip. And two, she continued, lifting another finger, Naruto is a survivor. He's too stubborn to let himself get killed."

Sakura got up immediately and screamed at her friend, "Ino!"

"How long will you live in the past Sakura? For how long will you make excuses? The _bastard_ tried to kill you for god sake! If it weren't for the blonde idiot you wouldn't even be here!

"But!"

"No buts, Sakura! As long as you stay like that, you'll never be able to go on! How do you think the people who care about you feels? Can't you remember what happened that time?

Sakura remembered. She remembered it very well. But in her mind she pushed those thoughts in a far place of her mind, to never recall them again.

But like always she failed miserably…

* * *

Sakura walked in the darkness with fear. During all her time as Tsunade apprentice, she always saw it as a lively place where people worked, ninjas rushed here and there, rich and poor people came to ask for missions big or small, and so on. Now it was so deserted and covered by the darkness that it looked more like a haunted house.

And it scared her a lot.

With the light out, the place was creepy. Blood stains on the walls, the occasional body here and there. It kinda made her remember the old stories she and Ino used to share when they visited each other to see who got more scared.

She lost every time.

But this was the real thing. The smell of death was everywhere. There was even a sick looking mist that smelled like burned flesh. It was ironic to think that she, a medical ninja still didn't got used to see everything her choice of career made her to. But like her mother once said to her: _"If you get used to bad things then there's something wrong with you" _Childish, yes, but true.

The last mission, that last time where they meet with Sasuke, was still fresh in her mind. How she could forget a mission where they failed so miserably? At the end, it was just her, Naruto, and captain Yamato. Sai betrayed them, and joined again later just to get himself almost killed. After all, how where they expecting to defeat a crazy sannin, a person as strong as Kakashi, and to make it worse, Sasuke?

She felt a chill down her spine. That Sasuke wasn't the one she remembered, and wasn't the one she thought she loved. The Sasuke she knew was a person who was cool and collected, never smiling because he didn't need to, in other words an ideal person. A tragic hero who unlike his brother chose the path of light, and undoubtedly one day would be able to revive his clan, and who knows, perhaps notice her.

Nothing like that happened, so she didn't know what to think about him anymore. Yamato almost died, Naruto as well to help her, and she was barely able to patch them up to return with their tails between their legs. It was shameful. Sasuke… what about him? Even the way he breathed screamed malice. Sometimes she wondered if he really was worth saving. Her girl side, the one still infatuated with him screamed yes. Her kunoichi one, said otherwise.

How stupid she is. She always hears the girl side first. Still clinging to a tiny hope the one that said that everything would be ok when he came back, that team 7 would reform and everything would go back to how it was in the good old days. That was what she wanted because it would make everyone happy right? She wanted to bring him back; to show him that there was more than just hatred and that he didn't needed to walk the path of darkness.

At the end Naruto still had hope why wouldn't she?

All hope was lost after a few moments. And she had to rely on him once again.

Naruto… she didn't know what to think of the blonde anymore. Sometimes he was his usual self, childish, rude, prankster, a bit pervert, ramen fetishist, with that silly but kind grin. Some others he was the ninja that seemed larger than life, stronger than anything or anyone, and some others he was the… thing. She couldn't call it… him, any other way.

It made her sad to think how far he was willing to go in order to save the last Uchiha. She heard from Tsunade the effects of the four tails transformation, and she didn't like it one bit. Of course after looking at the effects of the transformations, not only on Naruto but on everything he touched she wondered if _anyone _could even desire to have that monstrous power. What pushed him so far? An answer was screaming in her mind but she shrugged it as nonsense.

If that was the reason, then she would be the one to blame, and she was _never _good at accepting the blame.

She walked on the passageway stopping in front of a large passed a large room in the first floor and stopped. Something, someone was on the other side of it and she had a good idea about what it was. She was scared but she knew she had to step in and confront him. That was the reason she lived and the reason she trained so hard, so she wouldn't fail, no matter how scared she was.

That left her wondering why when she fought Sasori she didn't felt so scared.

Perhaps because she had to rely on someone else like she always did?

Shaking her head, she opened the doorknob she stepped inside, not really ready to face what was on the other side of the door.

_"The auditorium"_ she thought to herself. It looked more like a theatre and it wasn't used so much, since most of the meetings were of very few people. Even after being the Godaime apprentice for a few years she couldn't recall a time where they used it for something.

And in front of her, she saw something that made her body freeze. The person in front of her had his back leaning on the podium, with his features hidden in the darkness staring at her with terrifying red eyes.

Sharingan eyes.

"Sasuke-kun?" She asked timidly.

"Sakura…" answered the person in the shadow.

The pink haired girl couldn't believe it. She was right in front of him but now she found out that she couldn't bring herself to say the things she wanted to, that she still liked him that she would help him that everything would be all right, and that they together could make his dream come true.

But the words died on her throat.

This Sasuke wasn't the one she knew. This one was a traitor, one who left his friends behind and almost killed Naruto for the sake of revenge. The last time they saw each other was when he almost killed captain Yamato with that wicked cursed seal of him.

The shape he showed that time was everything but Sasuke. The aura he gave was a sickening one, full of anger and hatred. She even felt disgusted at herself for even thinking of about helping him to reach his ambition when they were 12. It was to kill a person after all, no matter how evil he was… And she was willing to be a part of it.

But at the end he didn't killed her and Yamato, as always because her blonde friend got into his way. Naruto, totally unconscious, stopped him by delivering the final blow, by getting in the middle of his attack.

She never understood that. Naruto got _trashed_ by Orochimaru the second time, half death, in the bliss of unconsciousness, and yet there he was, like always protecting her. What pushed the blonde to protect her even when he was more death than alive?

Perhaps that was the reason. The first time he couldn't kill Naruto. Last time he couldn't do it either.

What was the reason? She wondered. Was it because of the friendship they once shared or it was because they were still rivals and he didn't wanted to kill him in such a cheap way?

She hoped that it was the first reason.

So she was there completely frozen staring at her once beloved childhood crush. She reacted only when Sasuke asked a question of his own.

"Why?"

Sakura blinked.

"Why do you keep on getting in my way?" He asked in a cold tone.

She stood there dumbfounded.

Answer me. He asked in the same monotone voice.

Sakura wanted to answer, to say _anything_, but she found out that she couldn't. So she did the next best thing. She began to take a fighting position, gathering all the courage she could. The next words escaped from her lips on their own. "To save you"

For the first time in a long time he chuckled. Then he began to laugh. At first it was a small laugh filled with sarcasm. Later, it bloomed into a maniacal laugher without any humor.

He stood finally revealing himself. "To save me" he answered coldly. From what do you want to save me?

Did she hear what she just did? "What do you mean from what? "She spited.

"Exactly that, from what do you want to _save me?" _

She was feeling desperate. "Don't you understand? The only thing Orochimaru wants is your body! He doesn't care about you or your revenge!"

He got up and walked a few steps forward. "I know" he answered in a bored tone.

_That_, sent chills down her spine. "What?" she asked without really wanting to hear the answer.

"I knew it ever since the beginning" he answered again.

"Then why?"

"Because it's the only way" he said as if it didn't matter. He walked to a side leaving his back wide open to her, as if it wasn't important.

"Nothing can be acquired if there isn't a sacrifice." He continued. "Power needs sacrifices… If my body is the price to pay, then so be it."

"How… how can you say things like that?" she spat with frustration.

"You don't understand do you Sakura? Che… you're as annoying as always."

Those words _cut_ her deep, but she stood her ground.

I finally found a way to get what I want, to accomplish my sole purpose in life. If I have to embrace darkness, then so be it.

But Sasuke! She screamed forgetting the usual suffix she always used with his name.

"What would you do Sakura?" he continued. How far are you willing to go for the sake of your dreams? Would you be able to stay on the so called right path, if it meant losing forever what you sought for?

She wanted to scream, to answer that she wouldn't, to say, anything…

But no words came to her.

"Not an easy answer is it?" he answered with a mocking tone, and continued as if he didn't have a worry in the world. "It doesn't matter now. No matter who gets into my way I'll do anything if it means to accomplish my goal.

"To kill your brother?" She asked in a lower voice than the one she indented.

"Yes."

She closed her eyes and fought a few tears. What could she say now? Thoughts of the past and the happy times came to her in fast succession, trying to find something, _anything_ to say. But deep in her hearth she knew that he wouldn't listen. After all her training, after the hard hours of concentrating and working under Tsunade tutelage, after everything that happened, she was useless, once again.

"Everything…" he continued, not waiting for a response, "everything that gets into my way will be destroyed… And you, are no exception." he said coldly.

She kept her eyes closed and her body was trembling. Was it anger? Was it fear?

"So what will you do, Sakura?"

She didn't know. But a timid voice rose from her throat. "I'll stop you" she said.

He chuckled. That part of him didn't changed. "You don't get it do you? If you get into my way…" he said in a menacing voice taking a battle position…

_"I'll kill you"_

_

* * *

_

The memory still stung her. After that, pain. The battle was over even before it began. She couldn't fight against him. Not that she didn't wanted to but her body wouldn't answer. After that, a world of pain, and a few familiar seals getting ready to use the trademark move of the Uchiha clan. And that was it. Before she died, her consciousness faded, and that was the last thing she remembered. By the time she woke up, she was alone…

Walking to were Sasuke was before she stared with wide eyes, to a strange puddle of blood, chunks of flesh, bones, followed by a fresh bloody trail that lead to the door where she first entered.

_What the hell happened?_ She asked herself.

For some reason she didn't wanted to know… But she found out and her nightmares began.

"Sakura?" Ino asked snapping her out of her trance.

"I'll go home now" she said, not answering her friend questions. Getting up, she walked towards the door without turning back.

Ino stood there with a sad look.

_"Sakura"__"No matter what happens… I'll always be here for you… That's a promise."_ Were Ino's words.

* * *

The fire died and the cave was getting cold. The blond who occupied it at the moment opened his eyes. How long had he been asleep?

"Oh well it doesn't matter." He stood, and let the bear skin fall into the ground. "I guess I'll go get more firewood and rest for a little more time." He said scratching the back of his head, walking towards the entrance of the cave. When he reached the opening his mouth hanged open, staring like an idiot at the view.

The sky was clear, showing the beautiful stars, and what was more, a wide spectacle of lights of every color danced on the sky.

_"An aurora borealis.._." Not even in his wildest dreams he believed that he would be able to see one. Beautiful, incredible... there were no words to describe it.

Guess having his ass freezing wasn't so bad after all. Joys like this, were the ones Ero-Sennin talked about, joys that made his life worthy, and made him feel happy just for being alive. For the first time in a very long time, he grinned like he used to. Memories of the last events in Konoha were never pleasant, so spectacles like this one reawakened his spirit.

That very same spirit, allowed him to save them all… kind of.

* * *

Fire... A large fire burned the remains of a complete village. Ninjas battled everywhere, for what they believed was right, or for their lives, or for both. How did that happened? Why people who were supposed to protect the same village had to fight each other? Why do traitors exist? Not only Sasuke, last of his clan and a tragic hero in the eyes of the villagers and most of the council. Orochimaru, a legendary sannin turned traitor, and now even part of the Anbu, the one called Root where Sai belonged before he himself swore loyalty to the Godaime, were fighting against them.

It made him sick. He wanted to wipe them off the face of the earth. Damn traitors. Be it for fame, be it for power, no matter the reason, they were sickening.

And those cursed snakes. Damn, he hated snakes.

He just hoped that his friends were ok. But for the time being he could only look for himself, ironically hiding inside the Ichiraku no less. God had a sense of humor. Not that he was a coward, far from it, but right now it was the only thing he could do. Rot members were around and he couldn't afford to get himself killed now.

He had to find his teammate first wherever she decided to go after they got separated. That usually happens when you're at disadvantage and have a village to protect, there are no small teams at those moments, the "team" is the complete village, so it was hard to keep track on who was with whom.

What made it worse was that the cursed old man, Danzou knew everything about the village. Its escape routes, everything. Ironically he was the first one to die at the hands of his supposed ally.

However there was a way to stop the madness… if somehow the core of the problem was defeated then the battle would stop. And that meant only one thing…

Orochimaru had to die that day, no matter how.

The sound around him stopped. With as much stealth as he could manage (he still sucked at it) got out of his hiding place, to realize that the street where he ate so many times during his 16 years of life was completely ragged, with burned places and crystal pieces everywhere.

The good part was that there were no bodies. Despite being a ninja he hated to kill and even more to see dead people.

The wind changed. It had the smell of blood in it. Since when was his nose so sensitive? The dark sky along with the thunders that covered Konoha added the eerie feeling he was getting. His home village was a little more than a death town now. But like the time the Sandaime died he was sure they would overcome everything.

They had to. The ambition of a traitor wouldn't be enough to destroy it. It might fall again but it'll get up. He was sure.

The blonde turned around. Something screamed at his instincts. He had a bad feeling… A very, VERY bad feeling… His eyesight turned to the tallest building of the town, the Hokage tower.

Naruto ran with fierce determination… whatever it was happening there, something told him that he had to go there.

* * *

The two Sannin battled at the top of the Hokage tower. One the slug master and Fifth Hokage of Konoha, and the other the Snake master, killer, and traitor.

Tsunade was in pain. She looked young but she wasn't, and the toll for the fight was getting the better of her. It wasn't like her old teammate who could switch bodies so he could always get better and stronger bodies.

"Old age is getting the best of you isn't it?" a sarcastic dry voice said.

She looked at her old teammate with fury. But still didn't say anything.

The snake Sannin had an amusing face. He continued as if he didn't have a worry in the world. "You know, Sasuke-kun is here as well"

"What about that?" asked Tsunade trough clenched teeth.

"Today is a wonderful day…" he continued. Not only Konoha will fall, but my new body is ready." He said closing his eyes with a little hint of a smile on his face.

"Do you think I'll let that happen?" the fifth screamed in fury, throwing a hit that crushed the wall behind.

Orochimaru spoke as if he wasn't interrupted. "However there is an annoyance that must be cleaned first."

Tsunade turned around and stared with hate in her eyes.

"The Kyuubi brat is an annoyance. Not only to me, for what he could do in the future, but because of the akatsuki as well. Soon, Sasuke-kun will deal with him, and the fourth legacy will disappear from this world."

The snake expected that Tsunade would scream in rage, but nothing like that happened. She got up again with a little hint of a smile.

"What's so funny" he asked seriously.

"Orochimaru…" she said. "It's time for you… for the world, to understand the reason…"

She took a fighting stance again, and the snake Sannin did the same while releasing his Kusanagi sword.

"Why he is called the Fourth Legacy" she finished with a bemused expression.

His eyes rose with fury, and they ran toward each other.

No matter what, it had to end today.

None of them saw the black cloaked figure that stared at them at the top of the Hokage monument with a smile on his lips.

_"His legacy, huh?"_

_

* * *

_

Sakura's back burned in pain as she collided with the wall. Whatever it hit her, she couldn't follow it.

"Pathetic" Sasuke said, remaining in the same place he was before.

She got up. She learned the ways of dodging, after all she was a medical nin, however this was far beyond her expectations.

That or she couldn't afford to go all out, being the boy in front of her the opponent.

She breathed heavily as the Sharingan wielder stared at her with little to no expression. After a cry she ran towards him, ready to punch him.

But she didn't go that far.

A hit on the stomach, another to her shoulder and a roundhouse kick to her face, in an inhuman speed received her. He didn't have the strength he had but he sure knew the places to hit. "Is that all you got Sakura?"

Still on the ground she gave a kick to his knee, and failed, as Sasuke leapt back. "As long as I have these eyes, you won't be able to touch me" he said with a mocking tone.

She tried to get up and heal herself, but the dark haired boy didn't give her that chance. In a blink he was again in front of her kicking her on the chin and sent her flying. While still on mid air, he connected another kick again and she crashed against another wall.

Sasuke hands moved in fast succession while he screamed at his now unconscious prey. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" 

Fire erupted from his mouth and he could see a small movement in front of him. _"So he came"_.

At the side of Sasuke attack, his old friend stood there clutching with all his might the body of his pink haired teammate, while staring at him with eyes of blue fury… "Sasuke…" he spat

"Took you long enough," he answered.

"Why" he answered coldly.

"Why? Why you ask? She was in my way, that's why… can't you understand something as simple as that, you idiot?"

Naruto eyes turned menacing but were still blue. "How far are you willing to go?"

"As far as it's needed"

"She loved you, damn it."

"As if I care"

Naruto closed his eyes, and stood carrying Sakura in a bridal style.

He walked slowly while Sasuke looked at him with impassive eyes. The blonde left her on a dark corner and half turned around, his eyes now menacing red with slit pupils. _"I'll never forgive you this"_ he said in a threatening tone.

Sasuke Sharingan activated in response. _"Bring it on"_ he answered

And so, the clash between the sun and the moon began again. They locked their hits together, not moving, not even blinking and staring at each other eye. "You never learn do you Naruto?"

"You're the one who never learns" he spat.

Both step back and took again fighting positions.

They stood there unmoving, and Sasuke did something unusual. He took a relaxing position, and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the Sharingan was no more.

"What is the meaning of that?" Naruto asked.

"I don't need it" he said chuckling. "You'll be the one who'll test me"

"What?"

"As you heard"

Naruto didn't move for a few seconds but recalled what Yamato said to him once… _"If you want to save Sasuke, use your own power"_ Yeah it wasn't exactly like that but it got the point across. So he relaxed too, and opened his blue eyes.

"Let's go"

And both boys ran at each other, to continue their struggle.

* * *

How long they've been fighting, no one knew. Both fought with everything they had, and even then landing a hit was hard. Punches, kicks, jutsus, both were moving in perfect synchronization as if they were dancing. After a while, Sasuke landed a kick on Naruto stomach and sent him flying, and crashed into the chairs of the auditorium. When he got up he spit blood. He knew that Sasuke wasn't serious yet.

"You're better than I thought" Sasuke said solemnly. "Too bad we couldn't finish what we began last time"

Naruto cleaned the remaining blood with his sleeve, and remained still.

"Why aren't you using it?"

"What?" The blonde asked with a curious gaze.

"The red chakra…"

"Why do you wanna see it?" He asked very annoyed.

"I told you before… to test myself"

"_This is getting annoying…"_ He thought. That power isn't for the likes of you, Sasuke."

The Sharingan wielder anger rose. It was as if Naruto tried to get him angry. The bad part was that he was succeeding. How did this scum dare to look down on him? How could he say that he won't use that strange power? He needed to try, to prove that he was strong enough.

That left him wondering why did he had to use Naruto of all people as his own measuring stick. If he was any rational at the moment he would have realized that he sounded exactly like the person he hated the most in the world.

"Why?" he spat.

"Look at what you have done to yourself Sasuke… Darkness will only bring darkness. That's the reason why. I have no desire to kill you but to save you! Why can't you get that trough that tick head of yours?"

"Why can't you get trough yours the idea that I don't want to be saved? And what does that has anything to do with that power?"

"Why do you want it so much?"

"The reason for my existence is to acquire power! No one will get into my way!"

"You are becoming more and more like him! Can't you see it?"

The fury rose a few centimeters "What?"

Naruto continued as if he didn't hear the dark haired. "I don't know what it is to lose a family; neither do I know about what it is to desire revenge, however I know one thing!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes waiting for an answer.

"Now you are even willing to kill the people who love you!" he answered with unusual wisdom. He took a stance and ran towards his opponent while screaming. "Your becoming more like Itachi, Sasuke!"

_That_ did it. The Sharingan activated, and Sasuke disappeared in a blur, and Naruto barely blocked less than a second later.

A punch, a kick… attacks full of rage, made by his old friend, now with his eyes filled with hatred, but it was the way it had to be. Naruto tried to attack to, to connect _any_ hit to no avail. He could only defend and slowly his movements were getting sloppier by the minute. The Sharingan was Sasuke triumph card, and the Kyuubi was his. But he didn't wanted to save Sasuke using it… he promised that he wouldn't, but he was running out of options. Naruto knew that he was good, but Sasuke natural talent and bloodline limit always gave him the upper hand… There was no choice… it wasn't perfect but it had to do for now, specially if he wanted to survive…

So a memory rose, in the fraction of a second.

* * *

The blonde opened his eyes, while being on his back completely exhausted and depleted of chakra. His vision was blurry but he had a small smile on his face. Around him odd looking kunais and strange tag seals were scattered everywhere.

Until he realized that it was night already, and he remembered that the sky was clear when he finished training.

Jiraiya was at his side, sited on a boulder drinking sake by sips. "You're awake"

"Kind of…" he said in a pained voice.

The silence was tense, so the blonde broke it… "I… did it?"

"Yes…" the old man answered.

Naruto would have screamed in joy if his whole body wasn't in so much _pain._

"Not even I am able to do that technique… however you did it, somehow"

"Hehehe… he… yeah, I'm the best!" said Naruto grinning.

"However…" the old man said. Naruto didn't like the sound of that voice. "Don't use it"

"WHAT!

"Don't use it… at least not for now."

He sat straight and got a painful reminder that he shouldn't be moving yet. He was also surprised to see that his beloved orange jumpsuit, was in rags, and his forehead protector didn't had any clothe anymore… and there was something else… something he couldn't put his finger on.

"You see?" Jiraiya answered getting up and walking slowly towards the boy. This technique is quite possible the most useful one. However it has its problems. When it's not mastered your clothes will rip apart, your body will lose all your strength, and you will barely be able to move. If you want to keep on fighting, you will have to rely on the Kyuubi chakra again.

"Would that be a bad thing?" Naruto asked curiously.

The sannin didn't say anything for a while, remembering briefly how a few months ago he was almost killed by his student transformation. "Just don't use it" he answered.

"Why?"

"The strain in you body and mind weakens the seal even if it's for a moment… so for now, don't use it."

Naruto was thinking and thinking hard. What would be the consequences of the seal weakened if he had to continue fighting? So, he reluctantly agreed.

* * *

He was sent flying again. This was more than what he could handle. His back collided with a few empty seats (which much to his dismay were made of steel) and remained there unmoving.

"Are you death already?" Sasuke asked in boredom.

"He... Hehehe…" Naruto laughed without any humor, and got up barely. "Not a chance, Sasuke-Chan.

The dark haired narrowed his eyes. There was something funny in the way the blonde idiot was acting. "What can you do now?"

The blond stood up straight, and with his eternal look of defiance and a half grin on his lips, he answered… "I just have something to do…" he said casually taking out an unusually looking kunai. It was strange for Sasuke but he didn't think too much about it. "Weapons huh?" He asked with an amused expression. If that's how you want to do it… two can play that game…" Sasuke announced in his cold and commanding tone, while removing the sword he carried on his back.

And so on, the two weapons connected over and over again. Sasuke, in his time with Orochimaru became a sword master, while Naruto, never really cared about using weapons. His specialty was mostly unharmed short ranged attacks; however something was bothering the Sharingan wielder. Over and over again, as if it was intentionally, Naruto was letting go the strange kunais, sticking them on the ground, walls, and even the ceiling. _"What is that idiot doing?"_ He didn't understand why but he knew that something was fishy.

The battle continued, and Naruto was getting more and more wounded. There were cuts on his arms, legs, feet, not a place was spared. However he kept concentrating on the task in hand. It was almost finished… only one more… Now unharmed without any kunais at his disposal, he ran to the dark haired and received another cut, now on the chest. It wasn't deep but it hurts like hell. Blood flew off the open wound while Sasuke was crouching with sword in hand. Cursing, he made his last move. He touched Sasuke bare shoulder, close to where the cursed seal was.

Sasuke didn't understand his action, but something burned him in the place the blonde idiot touched. He didn't like it, so he kicked his old friend in the still open chest wound.

"What the hell did you do?" he asked with anger.

Naruto smiled without answering him. "It's ready" he said. The last Uchiha had a bad feeling, a very bad feeling. "From now on" the blonde continued, "You won't be able to touch me"

"What?" For a moment he really believed that the idiot was delusional already. That was before he heard a word he'll never forget any time soon…

_"Hiraishin"_

And the world turned white.

Sasuke coughed some blood and walked a few steps backwards. _"What the hell was that?"_ and without a second to waste activated his Sharingan.

Naruto was there unmoving, covered from head to toes in blood. His eyes, held all his contained fury. For a moment they turned crimson like the time in the valley of the end. And then he was gone.

_"What?"_ Sasuke asked to himself a bit scared. _"What kind of speed was that? How is it possible?"_

He couldn't think any more, as a kick sent him flying with all his pride.

The dark haired turned desperately. _"Not even the Sharingan can follow him? What the hell is that speed?"_

A movement to his side caught his attention. Now the blonde was on a far wall, standing on it with the same concentrated expression. He noted however that his clothes were getting torn, and his body seemed to hurt all over. And then…

He felt a lot of hits, not been able to count them… they were coming in all directions and aiming at all his vital spots. Whatever Naruto was doing, turned the tables on this battle. The last one was directed at his gut, making him crawl in pain as the figure of his old friend disappeared once again, just to appear far away from him.

Naruto was having troubles already. Not only he couldn't keep with the speed anymore, the wounds all over his body hurt like hell. His vision began to blur, as he felt how his consciousness was leaving him. If he wanted to finish this, he had to do it fast. Otherwise he would be completely open and at Sasuke mercy. So he kept his ground looking forward trying not to show any weakness and failing miserably.

He saw how the dark haired began to change like last time. The terrifying vision of that demon that almost killed him was in front of him again. His body got covered by the cursed seal, the skin tone changed and his wounds healed. A grunt of pain, and twin wings formed in his back.

* * *

Sasuke got up in all his glory. The sarcastic smile not leaving his now deformed face... "Besides the one you used to defeat my Chidori before, I've never seen a technique that my Sharingan can't copy, until now… I don't understand why, however it seems like you can't use it anymore, can you?"

Naruto didn't flinch. He remembered how Sasuke changed before, how far he was willing to go in order to join Orochimaru so he wasn't surprised. He smiled weakly. His vision blurred even more and now he was looking at three Sasuke's in front of him. _"The one in the middle"._ "That's right" he answered. "However that doesn't matter anymore does it? I can barely move now. " He didn't know what pushed him to say those words. If it was because he wasn't thinking straight anymore, the blood lost, he didn't know… there was only one way to do this now…

Even if the seal weakened, he had to try.

He closed his eyes, reaching the deep in the abyss of his mind, a voice could be heard. A laugh. The laugh of the ancient evil trapped inside of him.It was waiting for this time… for 15 years…

It was it's time to have fun.

The crimson chakra completely covered Naruto as if he was surrounded by flames. Little by little, his face changed turning more like that of an animal. The whisker marks grew wider and his teeth began to change. His once deep blue eyes slowly glowed like the fires of hell, the iris of the pupil became slit, and a tail emerged from his back.

Sasuke smiled. He was going to enjoy this.

"I recall you telling me that you wouldn't use that power" he asked in a sarcastic voice.

"There's no choice" the blonde answered while his wounds closed. Ever since the experience in the valley, Sasuke knew about the healing factor his former teammate possessed. However there was something different… not one, neither two but three tails emerged, moving madly.

_"What is that?"_ Sasuke asked to himself.

The power increased more and more without stopping. The room temperature began to go up, and the strange shroud surrounding Naruto began to glow greater than the sun. With his eyes, hidden by his hair, he joined his hands in a praying position. It was the first time he was gonna do that without the help of a shadow clone. He knew he wouldn't be able to summon it on time anyway.

Slowly his hands moved away from each other, forming a ball of energy in the middle.

_"It's a bit different"_ Sasuke thought. "No matter" he continued while making the 3 seals. Getting his hands on position he screamed "Chidori!" and black lightning emerged in the palm of his left hand.

The ball in Naruto hands was getting wider and wider. Soon it'll be time for the explosion.

* * *

What are you talking about, Tsunade?" Asked an annoyed Orochimaru to his old teammate…

"The Uchiha brat won't be able to defeat him, that's what I'm saying" answered the Fifth.

"How is that?" He asked, and a presence he felt before, the one he fought against in the Grass country, close to the bridge, the ancient power of the tailed fox appeared again, and promised a world of pain to anyone who crossed its path.

She smiled, "Orochimaru… you of all people should know… Never… _ever_ corner a fox"

Orochimaru looked at her with unreadable expression. He didn't understood at that moment what she meant.

But he knew one thing. He didn't liked the feeling he was getting.

* * *

The chakra shroud power was felt miles away. Everyone who was fighting stopped to look at the origin of the power, some of them recognizing it, and some of them feeling it for the first time. Team Gai, the one closer to the tower, stood staring at the view, with unreadable expressions. "Gai, sensei" Lee said. What is that?"

The bowl haired, thick brows master didn't answer. He knew about that power but he didn't expect it to appear once again. _"Is the seal broken?"_. Sakura body was covered by the crimson light. Despite being unconscious, she felt the pulse, without waking up. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio was close too, and felt the presence as well. Ino, despite being a girl with a lot of guts and attitude, shivered in fear as well, because something was different... The chakra shroud expanded itself and became brighter and brighter. His skin turned red, and began to peel off. The once blue, later red eyes were completely white. And the miniature sun on his hands glowed brighter and brighter. _"I have to finish it now before the transformation is finished"_ was his coherent thought. In a few seconds he'll lose it completely.

Sasuke began to feel fear. The emotion was minuscule but it was there… Shaking his thoughts of fear, he channeled all his emotions, all his hate, all his anger, all his pain to his chakra and feed it to the Chidori on his hands. The power Naruto was showing was completely different than the last two times they saw each other. A fourth tail began to emerge, but before it was complete a deep voice completely different than that of Naruto spoke. "A demon for a demon…"

"All the pain you have caused… Feel it all at once!" the voice screamed. It sounded everything but Naruto.

Specially that maniacal laugher... Naruto was losing it already. He was only a few seconds from losing his consciousness.

The miniature sun rotated madly. The waves of heat were all being absorbed by it making it look like a strange glowing black hole with the only difference that this was red and got brighter and brighter by the minute. There was no way to stop it now

Both ran at each other again. Sun against moon, moon against sun… The final attack, the end of their struggle.

Everything would end here and now.

"Chidori!"

"Odama–Rasengan!"

They collided. Unlike last time, the energies began a struggle for power, to see which one was stronger, better.

The dark Chidori didn't stood a chance. No cursed seal in the world could overcome the greatest and most evil power of the world.

Sasuke felt it. His bones snapped, tendons broke and all his body ached in pain. He lost. And now, somehow he knew it would be final. The strength of the sun tear apart his most powerful technique as if it was a toothpick, tearing apart everything in sight. The limp body of the Sharingan wielder flew backwards and opened its way trough 4 walls before coming to a stop. Naruto on the other hand stood impassive on the same position, while the chakra shroud extinguished.

His whole body felt like it had millions of needles on it. But he had done it. He stopped Sasuke and perhaps now, his promise would be fulfilled.

Yet for some reason he didn't felt as happy as he thought he would.

Naruto fell to his knees, and breathed heavily. On the corner of his eyes, he saw his pink haired teammate, and left a breath of relief. Despite the explosion she didn't moved at all. However a sound made him turn his attention in front of him.

Walking heavily, Sasuke came out from the hole of the wall, in his human shape, with the clothes completely torn apart and his body covered by blood, cuts and bruises, clenching his left arm in pain. His eyes now without the Sharingan looked at him with pure hatred. The blonde, as he could, he raised and took a battle position. The fact that he was looking at five Sasuke's instead of one got him worried. His worries were cut short when the black haired tried to do the same, but fell to his knees just a few steps away. Naruto couldn't help but feel pity. So much potential, so much talent… Everything wasted. Now he was sure.

Sasuke was defeated. He couldn't battle anymore.

But, despite all the pain, his clothes that were now rags, and the dizzy sensation all over his body, Naruto still could move. The Hiraishin took a lot of him, and he had to rely on the Kyuubi again. And as long as he could move he'll keep on fighting. Even if his mind screamed that it was a very bad idea. There was someone else he had to defeat… or die trying, and then something strange happened.

The chakra shroud that wounded him so badly before, began to cover his body again, not taking its fox like appearance, but just covered his body, and his wounds closed, the blood stopped, and he wasn't dizzy anymore. Not even the sensation of almost using the four tails was there. Something was strange but he shrugged it off. He'd have time to worry about it later. Dismissing it he stared at his fallen old teammate.

Unknown to him, the seal on his stomach glowed red, and parts of it began to fade. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary so he shrugged it off.

"I'm sorry… Sasuke" he said with genuine sorrow. He turned and walked away.

Sasuke was angry. _Very_ angry. Not only his brother, but now Naruto humiliated him, leaving him behind, discarding him as if he was trash. He recalled everything he did to attain power, he broke away from his bonds; he left everything, and betrayed everyone. And _still_ wasn't enough. And now… this… His breath was labored, and the pain on his left arm grew more and more. As he could he stood again staring at the hole were the blonde walked away.

_"Damn you… Naruto" _ an angry expression, and a curse… Moments later…

A sound similar to that of an exploding pumpkin…

And a piercing scream filled the darkness.

* * *

**Author Notes:** Fist of all I'm sorry if there are any mistakes in the grammar and spelling. I checked it as much as I could, however my first language is not English, so it might not be perfeKt… anyway how's that for my first Naruto fic? To be honest I never thought I would write something again, especially after my other fic spectacular failure. Honestly. However I really enjoyed this chap and I'm itching to write the next one, which I'm doing in this precise moment as a matter of fact.

I'm not really satisfied with the battle scene. I think it can have more elements that I'll add later. I just can't think of anything else anymore. Oh and in case you're wondering Sasuke used the Chidori with his left hand.

You may also have noticed that I used a lot of flashbacks here as well as hints here and there, giving the idea that Naruto is being hunted, Sakura is broken and the village is rising up again after being almost destroyed, thanks to a tragic hero. Take a wild guess on who he is, and why he is "tragic". I'll stop using flashbacks after the first 3 or 4 chapters, but at the moment is highly important, because I need you to get the "feeling" of it.

Many people might think that Naruto is too overpowered or something… however that's not true. He still messes up badly at many things he does, and even if he used the Hiraishin now it was a crippled version that left him with no chakra of his own, so for now on he will have to rely on his… ahem, tenant.

About Sasuke I really think that he will redeem somehow. However after what the bastard did, he deserves a world of pain. Mind you I'm not bashing him, and I don't hate his character, he'll be very important later, but not in the typical "yeah your right Naruto I messed up", he'll get back on the "light side" but after a lot of painful and very bad experiences. I don't see another way for him to be redeemed, at least not a believable one. It's obvious that he completely broke his bonds, and he won't come back to his old friends anytime soon. I hope you take the hint on what did he lost on the battle. And if you didn't, guess what? _I'm not telling_.evil laugh

Sorry if this chapter was too long. To be honest I like long chapters, and this one could have been even longer, but it's been on my pc for way too long already (about a week or so), and it covered everything I wanted for now.

For the pairings… ah the pairings, something that everyone loves to read, including me. Right now I have no idea. This chapter concentrates a lot in Sakura; however that doesn't mean anything at this moment. I have a good idea about what I want and the direction this fic will go; however like many other things in life it'll take time and a lot of writing. I think that relationships need to grow and not magically "falling" for another person in just 2 paragraphs. Just a hint, I love drama.

I'll try to update as fast as I can though. Sometimes a week, or more, but won't pass the 2 weeks without updating, if people like it that's it.

And finally, the most important thing: thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy my little attempt to write something. If you did, I would like to hear your opinions, be it good or bad. My webpage, email, and the review function are all open for you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you again. If you're reading this you're looking at the second version. Special thanks go to firareth2, who from now on will be my beta reader.

And since I feel so nice, I'll always put a sneak preview of the next chap.

* * *

Next Chapter: **Light and Darkness**

_A dog, which only crawls in the lap of a snake, will never have the power to change anything. _

_What are you now, and what do you really want to be? _

_I'll tell you what you are. Right now, you are nothing more than a useless dying dog, fitting to end like vultures shit… _

_What do you want to be? That's for you to tell…_

_

* * *

_


End file.
